Argyranthemum plant named ‘Bonmadcher’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Argyranthemum  plant named ‘Bonmadcher’, characterized by its single type dark pink-colored flowers, medium green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, compact, and upright-mounded growth habit.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Argyranthemum×hybrida.

Variety denomination: ‘Bonmadcher’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Argyranthemum plant botanically known as Argyranthemum×hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Bonmadcher’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in Yellow Rock, New South Wales, Australia during July 2003. The objective of the breeding program was the development of Argyranthemum cultivars that are freely flowering with unique flower coloration and a freely branching, compact, and upright growth habit.

The new Argyranthemum cultivar is the result of cross-pollination. The female (seed) parent of the new cultivar is the proprietary Argyranthemum×hybrida breeding selection designated 03-26, not patented, characterized by its semi-double type medium pink-colored flowers, medium green-colored foliage, and mounded growth habit. The male (pollen) parent of the new cultivar is from a bulk pollen mix of 32 proprietary Argyranthemum×hybrida breeding selections designated 03-21 through to 03-49 and 03-57, 03-133, and 03-148, not patented, characterized by their single to semi-double type red and pink-colored flowers, various shades of green-colored foliage, and various growth habits. The new cultivar was discovered and selected as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the above stated cross-pollination during July 2004 in a controlled environment at Yellow Rock, New South Wales, Australia.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings since July 2004 at Yellow Rock, New South Wales, Australia and West Chicago, Ill. has demonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true to type with all of the characteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedly observed and can be used to distinguish ‘Bonmadcher’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Argyranthemum plant:

-   -   1. Single type dark pink-colored flowers;     -   2. Medium green-colored foliage; and     -   3. Moderately vigorous, compact, and upright-mounded.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the female parent primarily in flower form and flower color.

Of the many commercially available Argyranthemum cultivars known to the inventor, the most similar in comparison to the new cultivar is Maderia™ Deep Rose ‘OHMADSANT’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,637. However, in side by side comparisons, plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of ‘OHMADSANT’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar are shorter and narrower than         plants of ‘OHMADSANT’; and     -   2. Plants of the new cultivar have fewer inflorescences than         plants of ‘OHMADSANT’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typical flower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in the photographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed description, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Bonmadcher’. The plants were grown in 4.5 inch pots for 10 weeks in a greenhouse at West Chicago, Ill.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habit of ‘Bonmadcher’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of an individual inflorescence of ‘Bonmadcher’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature, light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, 2001 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significance are used. The color values were determined on Jul. 11, 2006 between 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. under natural light conditions in West Chicago, Ill.

The following descriptions and measurements describe plants produced from cuttings taken from stock plants and grown in a glass-covered greenhouse under conditions comparable to those used in commercial practice. The plants were grown at West Chicago, Ill. in 4.5 inch pots for 10 weeks utilizing a soilless growth medium. Greenhouse temperatures were maintained at approximately 70° F. to 77° F. (21° C. to 25° C.) during the day and approximately 65° F. to 68° F. (18° C. to 20° C.) during the night. Greenhouse light levels of 2,500 footcandles to 6,000 footcandles were maintained during the day.

-   Botanical classification: Argyranthemum×hybrida cultivar Bonmadcher. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary Argyranthemum×hybrida breeding             selection designated 03-26, not patented.         -   Male parent.—Pollen mix of 32 proprietary             Argyranthemum×hybrida breeding selections designated 03-21             through to 03-49 and 03-57, 03-133, and 03-148, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal stem.         -   Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 6 to 8 days.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 21 to 28             days.         -   Root description.—Fibrous.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Crop time.—Approximately 6 to 9 weeks from a rooted cutting.         -   Growth habit and general appearance.—Moderately vigorous,             compact, and upright-mounded.         -   Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane:             Approximately 14.4 cm. Width: Approximately 17.5 cm.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching. Quantity of main branches             per plant: Approximately 4.         -   Branch.—Strength: Strong. Length from soil level to base of             peduncle: Approximately 7.6 cm. Diameter: Approximately             3.3 mm. Length of central internode: Approximately 3.9 mm.             Texture: Glabrous. Color of young stem: Glaucous, 144D.             Color of mature stem: Glaucous, 144C with woody base of             199B. -   Foliage description:     -   -   General description.—Quantity of leaves per main branch:             Approximately 20. Fragrance: Slight. Form: Simple.             Arrangement: Alternate.         -   Leaves.—Aspect: Acute angle to stem; leaf blade obtuse angle             to stem with age. Shape: Obovate. Margin: Parted. Apex:             Acute, cuspidate. Base: Attenuate, decurrent. Venation             pattern: Pinnate. Length of mature leaf: Approximately             5.3 cm. Width of mature leaf: Approximately 3.3 cm. Texture             of upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous. Color of upper             surface of young and mature foliage: Glaucous, 137B with             venation of 137D. Color of lower surface of young and mature             foliage: 138B with venation of 138B. -   Flowering description:     -   -   Flowering habit.—‘Bonmadcher’ is freely flowering under             outdoor growing conditions with substantially continuous             blooming from spring through autumn and year-round in             greenhouse environment.         -   Lastingness of individual inflorescence on the             plant.—Approximately 12 to 14 days. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   General description.—Type: Solitary, composite. Persistent.             Shape: Round. Aspect: Facing upward and outward.             Arrangement: Terminal, positioned above the foliage. Disc             and ray florets develop acropetally on a capitulum. Quantity             per plant: Approximately 7. Diameter: Approximately 3.1 cm.             Fragrance: None.         -   Peduncle.—Strength: Strong, pliable. Aspect: Erect. Length:             Approximately 6.5 cm. Diameter: Approximately 2.0 mm.             Texture: Glabrous. Color: Glaucous, 144A.         -   Bud.—Rate of opening: Generally takes 6 to 7 days for bud to             progress from first color to fully open flower. Quantity per             plant. Approximately 1.         -   Bud just before opening.—Shape: Ovoid. Diameter:             Approximately 7.0 mm. Color: N57A.         -   Ray florets.—Quantity per inflorescence: Approximately 15.             Arrangement: Nonimbricate in a single whorl. Aspect:             Slightly convex, turning downward with age. Shape: Ligulate.             Margin: Entire. Apex: Emarginate with 3 tips. Base:             Attenuate, fused to form a tube. Length: Approximately             1.2 cm. Width: Approximately 4.0 mm. Texture of upper             surface: Glabrous. Texture of lower surface: Glabrous,             ribbed. Color of upper surface when first open: N57A with             base of 155D. Color of lower surface when first open:             Closest to N57C with base of 155D. Color of upper surface             when fully open: Between N57A and N57B transitioning to 70D             with age, and base of 155D. Color of lower surface when             fully open: N57D with base of 155D.         -   Disc florets.—Quantity per inflorescence: Approximately 140.             Arrangement: Massed in center of inflorescence. Shape:             Tubular with 5 lobes. Margin: Entire. Apex: Acute. Base:             Truncate. Length: Approximately 6.0 mm. Diameter at apex:             Approximately 2.0 mm. Diameter at base: Approximately             1.0 mm. Texture: Glabrous with glandular pubescence on fused             portion. Gland color: Colorless. Color when fully open: 53B             at lobe tips and 13A in center of lobes transitioning 145D             at base.         -   Disc.—Diameter: Approximately 1.4 cm. Depth: Approximately             1.0 cm.         -   Receptacle.—Shape: Cone. Height: Approximately 3.0 mm.             Diameter at base: Approximately 4.0 mm. Color: 145B.         -   Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence Approximately 24.             Arrangement: Imbricate, in several whorls. Shape:             Lanceolate. Margin: Entire. Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate.             Length: Approximately 4.2 mm. Width: Approximately 2.0 mm.             Texture of upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous, papery along             edges. Color of upper surface: 143C in center with             transparent margins of N199B. Color of lower surface:             Closest to 143D in center with transparent margins of N199B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets             only. Stamen quantity: 5 per floret. Stamen length:             Approximately 3.0 mm. Anther shape: Linear. Anther length:             Approximately 1.0 mm. Anther color: 158A. Pollen amount:             None observed. Gynoecium: Present on ray and disc florets.             Pistil quantity: 1 per floret. Pistil length: Approximately             6.0 mm. Stigma shape: Two-parted. Stigma length: Less than             1 mm. Stigma color: 13A. Style length: Approximately 4.0 mm.             Style color: 53B at apex transitioning to 145D, transparent.             Ovary length: Approximately 2.0 mm. Ovary color: Lighter             than 145D. -   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has     been observed. -   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests     common to Argyranthemum has not been observed. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Argyranthemum plant named ‘Bonmadcher’, substantially as herein shown and described. 